Cleveland had waited more than two decades for this moment. Since the Rockers folded in 2003 after six seasons, the city had been without a WNBA franchise. On Tuesday, that wait finally ended as Janice Braxton’s voice echoed through Rocket Arena with the words, “From these waters, a powerful new voice rises,” marking the beginning of a new chapter for women’s basketball in Cleveland.

After months of speculation, Rock Entertainment Group officially revealed the name, logo, and branding of Cleveland’s WNBA expansion franchise: The Cleveland Sirens.

The franchise, owned by Dan Gilbert’s Rock Entertainment Group, is set to join the league in 2028 after the ownership group secured the expansion team with a reported $250 million expansion fee.

How the name came to be

How the name came to be is an interesting story, given it took the franchise a year and countless efforts to narrow out something that truly fits and belongs to Cleveland. Moreover, bringing back the Rockers was never an option given the WNBA no longer owned the trademark to the name.

Through focus groups, community surveys, and conversations across Northeast Ohio, the organization narrowed down names like Novas, Riveters, Crown, Racers, and Founders. But according to the team president of business operations, Allison Howard, one name kept resurfacing.

“We had focus groups, we had surveys, and many, many conversations in the community, and all of those conversations just kept validating that Sirens was it,” Howard said.

The inspiration came from Lake Erie and the legendary figures from Greek mythology whose voices were impossible to ignore. It is a name that the franchise believes reflects both the city and the momentum around women’s basketball.

“A Siren commands attention. She is unrivaled. She is powerful. She draws you in. She is loud by nature, but never, ever, by force,” team president of business operations Allison Howard said during the launch. “The Cleveland Sirens are sharp, unapologetic, relentless, fearless, and representative of our great region, our Great Lake, and our great future,”

The Sirens also become the second franchise, after the Golden State Valkyries, to draw inspiration from Greek mythology. The timing is notable, with Sirens recently appearing in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster The Odyssey.

Every detail was designed to tell a story

Once the name was chosen, the rest of the identity followed. The primary logo features a siren rising beneath the team’s wordmark, lifting a basketball above the waves. The S also conceals within it the letters CLE. The color palette was far from random.

“The color palette of Sirens Blue and Erie Blue draws on the hues of Lake Erie and pays homage to the Cleveland Rockers, who competed in the WNBA from 1997 to 2003,” the team said. “A complementary mint foam color adds vibrancy and depth in select applications.”

Grant Gilbert, Rock Entertainment Group’s vice president of business and basketball operations, mentioned that the end goal was never about just creating a logo; it was much more.

“We really wanted something that people could rally behind, a real character. And we’re really excited about that. I think the other aspect of the siren name and brand that was really considered and that we get very excited about is how authentically it extends just beyond the name and branded logos itself. The potential of the name is endless.”

Team president of business operations Allison Howard made it clear that the new team isn’t chasing memories alone or depending on its Rocket Arena roommate, the Cavaliers.

Before the expansion was given, it was reported that the Connecticut Sun would relocate to Cleveland. Those talks never resulted in a sale, leading the league to grant Cleveland a brand-new expansion franchise instead.

What’s Next for the WNBA’s 16th Franchise?

Howard said that the Sirens are building a different identity from the Cavs, despite sharing an arena and an ownership group. “This team can exist very much on the independent side of the Cavaliers. And that’s also what we are seeing right now. The demographic is totally different.”

Cleveland will be the first of three approved expansion markets to launch. They will arrive ahead of Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030. Where the Rockers folded two decades ago, the Sirens are making their return as a unique brand, one Howard suggested has already started proving itself before a single game has been played, with 9,000 season tickets already acquired by fans.

Before the brand logo and name were revealed, an announcement was made. Progressive Corporation became the jersey sponsor, the first time in WNBA history that a single sponsor has occupied both the front-center and shoulder logo positions.

When the Sirens take the court in 2028, they will play their home games at Rocket Arena while training at a dedicated practice facility in Independence, Ohio.